March 22/12 10:15 am - Colavita Continues Womens Team with New Co-sponsor

Posted by Editoress on 03/22/12

After announcing that the Colavita/Forno d'Asolo team would disband at the end of 2011 due to lack of sponsorship, Colavita has announced that it will continue in 2012 with the signing of American sports broadcaster ESPN's women's division - espnW. The team will race as Colavita-espnW.

The team will be led by long time members Tina Pic and Iona Wynter Parks as Co-Directors, and includes three Canadians on the roster: Moriah MacGregor, Leah Guloien and Joanie Caron. Other riders include Kathryn Bertine, Jamie Bookwalter and Mary Zider.

"I knew a new business that focuses on supporting female athletes would be a perfect fit for this unique opportunity,” said John A. Profaci, Vice President of Marketing for Colavita, who acknowledged espnW’s coverage of women’s cycling competitions and ongoing support of female athletes everywhere. He added, “Assembling a team will be challenging, but there is always new talent and seasoned veterans hungry to compete. I'm confident we'll have strong leadership, terrific racers, and a team of champion quality on and off the bike."

Added Laura Gentile, Vice President of espnW, “Working closely with Colavita, a company committed to supporting female athletes in such a tangible way, is important to espnW. It’s a great opportunity to support the development of women’s cycling while expanding espnW’s reach in a creative way.”